Ravi Khubchandani, general manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport speaks about the unique features of an airport hotel and the future of hospitality business in this region By Reema Lokesh
What according to you is the primary highlights and USP of the property and what is it that you would like to convey to your clientele regarding the same?
Novotel Hyderabad Airport is a versatile hotel in Hyderabad with the right infrastructure, location and professional expertise to cater to every requirement including MICE, weddings, automobile display and launches, transit stays, airline crew requirements and leisurely family getaways! We have an inventory of over 300 rooms complemented with multiple banquets, open air venues and state of the art leisure and recreational facilities in a very green and welcoming surrounding. Our property is just five minutes away from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad.
Keeping your previous experience in view in other cities of India, what are the distinct patterns of demand in this region?
Hyderabad has a higher proportion of MICE business and it truly lives up to its reputation of being the conventions capital of the country. Evidently, MICE is one of the strongest growing segments for Hyderabad’s hospitality and tourism industry, earning substantial revenues over the last year and directly benefitting the local economy. A significant percentage of a hotel’s revenue is generated from hosting MICE events, and catering to the F&B requirements from it. Over the years, the city has experienced double digit growth increase in inbound air traffic, with the Hyderabad International Airport recognised as the sixth busiest airport in the country and third busiest in Southern India. With the improving commercial sentiment in the city, the industry is witnessing improved traction in business travels and this should continue consistently. The presence of global conglomerates and local businesses is expected to rise in the near future. The improving investor sentiment is expected to improve both the demand and supply in the city, with the demand hopefully being substantial to outpace the inventory growth.
How different are airport hotels visa-a-vis city hotels?
Airport hotels are generally more agile and flexible to be able to better cater to the short lead transit business and sudden influx of guests. Globally, airport hotels have been the travellers’ favourite choice for years; with the rising traffic woes in every city the preference for airport hotels is constantly on the rise. Airport hotels are also very unique and dependable from a security standpoint.
The airport hotel market has changed immeasurably in recent years. In contrast to the sterile airport hotels of old, these newer properties exude the local culture, beauty and style throughout their design. They acknowledge that they are providing the traveller’s first experience of a country. From room furnishings, to artwork, and even panoramic views or plane spotting advantages, the new airport hotel design immediately reminds the traveller of which country they are visiting. Rooms are of a high quality with an emphasis on comfort, and noise levels associated with the airport are minimised through effective sound proofing.
Airport hotels offer excellent facilities for travellers who need to work, including in-room high speed Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, business and conference facilities and ambient lobbies. Travellers working for multinational companies can meet face-to-face with peers or clients based in the city where they are transiting, away from the bustle of the airport terminal. Leisure facilities also abound in these properties, allowing travellers to dine in relaxed settings, work out at the gym or enjoy a massage.
Is there a certain focus to market and promote airport hotels?
Airport hotels cater to a very wide spectrum of travellers and best support the ever rising aviation travels. Therefore, it won’t be surprising to see the investor sentiment skewing more towards airport hotels. It is also important to note that airport properties, especially major brands, want to grow up and become bona fide meeting destinations like popular convention properties in major cities. Therefore, the focus is also on promoting them as preferred MICE destinations, often by upgrading and adding flexible meeting spaces.
What are the average ARRs in the city and where would you place your hotel on that scale?
The city operates with a wide ARR spectrum with reputed hotels ranging from approximately Rs 3000 to Rs 8000. Being an international five-star of great repute, we operate in the premium rate band of the city.
How unique are the F&B demands in the region?
The F&B scenario in Hyderabad is now maturing and is growing beyond the popular traditional options. Guests today are relatively more aware and welcoming of newer tastes and dining experiences. Further, being an international airport hotel, we have a strong mix of both international and domestic travellers checking in and out at all times; we therefore offer an elaborate array of both traditional and innovative culinary creations round the clock.
Any specific training and development programmes for staff engagement?
We engage our teams at all levels of hierarchy with industry’s leading learning and development opportunities. Living up to our reputation of being one of the finest employers globally, we create an environment that is extremely conducive for all team members to perform and continuously evolve as better professionals. AccorHotels is growing at a very fast pace in India and our philosophy of developing a strong internal talent pool for our upcoming hotels further fuels our passion to develop exceptional hoteliers for the future.
What is your personal vision for the property and the change you would like to bring about during your tenure?
The hotel has been well established and my endeavour will be to take the performance further by exceeding our guests’ current expectations and establish the hotel as the first choice for MICE, weddings, business and leisure stays. Further, with curated events, food festivals and family activities, I would like to see more of our local Hyderabad patrons visiting the hotel more frequently for experiential outings.
Your message for the future hospitality workforce?
The hospitality industry is growing at an exponential pace and it is going to present all professionals with some unprecedented opportunities; there couldn’t have been a better time to become a part of this vibrant industry. Hospitality, perhaps more than some other industries, calls for a fair amount of discipline, flexibility and agility in the formative years; the industry however offers considerably more opportunities to excel professionally. To be successful, I would encourage the young professionals foraying into the industry to work and learn with a great sense of pride and passion for hospitality.